


She's Somebody's Hero

by thesaddestboner



Series: bang ’em up bruiser queen [8]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate History, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Detroit Red Wings, Drabble, Gen, Interlude, No Plot/Plotless, Role Models, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-14
Updated: 2014-01-14
Packaged: 2018-01-08 18:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1135916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesaddestboner/pseuds/thesaddestboner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Nik is walking to the lumbering charter bus that’s waiting to ferry the team off to the airport when she stops dead in her tracks, teammates parting for her like the Red Sea.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	She's Somebody's Hero

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually got struck by this idea as I was in the middle of writing something else for this 'verse.
> 
> Title that doesn't really actually have anything to do with the fic from "Somebody's Hero" by Jamie O'Neal.
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/thesaddestboner) and [tumblr](http://saddestboner.tumblr.com).

Nik is walking to the lumbering charter bus that’s waiting to ferry the team off to the airport when she stops dead in her tracks, teammates parting for her like the Red Sea. She’s pretty sure she heard someone calling out her name, but when she looks around, she doesn’t see anyone.

“Hey, Kronwall!”

There it is again. Nik squints, heading back in the direction of the voice. There are streetlights outside the hotel, but it’s still pretty dark out.

“Kronwall! Miss Kronwall! Is that you? My little sister’s your biggest fan!”

Nik walks over to the chain link fence separating the hotel property from a restaurant next door and finds the culprit. A skinny, dark-haired teenage boy in an old Red Wings cap, Stevie Y. jersey, and jeans is leaning against the fence. When Nik looks closer, she can see a little girl clinging to his pant leg, her thumb in her mouth.

Nik smiles at them. “Can I help you kids?” 

“My sister, Leah, she’s your biggest fan. No lie. We watch all your guyses games on NHL Center Ice, and anytime you make a big hit Leah’s chanting your name like she’s at the Joe,” the kid says, pointing to his little sister, who can’t be older than five or six. She looks up at Nik with big owl eyes as she slurps on her thumb, a white ThunderStick tucked under her arm.

“Hi Leah,” Nik says, crouching down so that she’s eye level with the little girl.

Leah looks up at her big brother, questioningly, and he nods down to her, smiling. “It’s okay, Leah. Nik’s not really a stranger. You know her from TV.”

Leah looks at Nik and plucks her thumb from her mouth. “Kronwall!” she says, sounding pleased with herself. She bangs her chubby little fists on the chain link fence.

“You kids have something for me to sign?” Nik reaches into her pants pocket and produces a Sharpie.

“Oh, yeah! Sure, uh...” The kid trails off and starts looking around for something before looking back at his sister. “Can you sign her ThunderStick?” 

“Sure... What’s your name?” Nik asks the boy.

“My name’s Toby.” Toby takes the ThunderStick from Leah and passes it, along with his faded Red Wings cap, through a hole in the fence to Nik.

Nik uncaps the Sharpie and scribbles out **TO LEAH, FROM YOUR BIGGEST FAN, NIK KRONWALL** on the ThunderStick before passing it back to Toby. 

“Thanks. Man, Leah, would you look at that?” Toby hands her the ThunderStick. “You better not lose that thing. That’s valuable now.”

Nik laughs, as she signs Toby’s hat for him. “I don’t know about _valuable_. I’m sure Zetterberg’s autograph is way more valuable than mine.”

“Aw, Z’s cool and all, but she doesn’t hit like you do,” Toby says, accepting his now-signed hat back from Nik. “You’re the best. You, like, singlehandedly inspired my kid sister to start playing hockey. My mom is kind of freaking out about it, but my dad is pumped.”

Nik smiles at the two kids. “That’s good to hear. I’m glad. You guys be good,” she says.

“We will,” Toby promises, before taking Leah’s hand in his and leading her off.

Nik looks after them until she sees them get into a car and drive off.

“ _Come on, Nik. We’re waiting on you!_ ”

Nik turns around; Zäta is hanging out a window on the bus, looking flustered and impatient.

“Sorry,” Nik calls out, grabbing her carry-on bag and hurrying to the waiting bus. “I’m coming.”

**Author's Note:**

> The author of this piece intends no insult, slander, or copyright infringement, and is not profiting from this work. This story is a complete work of fiction and does not necessarily reflect on the nature of the individuals featured. This is for entertainment purposes only. If you found this story while Googling your name or the names of your friends, hit the back button now.


End file.
